Two-speed gearing for bicycles



Sept. 9, 1952 E. E. HOOD TWO-SPEED GEARING FOR BICYCLES Filed Jan. 22, 1951 INVENTOR. 11mm WITNESS: im.

ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 9, 1952 TWO-SPEED GEARING FOR BICYGLES Edwin Elliott Hood, Elmira, N. Y., assignor to? Bendix Aviation Corporation, a'corporation of Delaware Application January 22, 1951, Serial No. 207,073

2 Claims. (01. 74-131) The present invention relates to two-speed gearing for bicycles, and more particularly to a hillclim-bing gear attachmentfor bicycle coaster brakes.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel variable speed drive gear for bicycles which is strong and durable, efficient in operation, and simple in construction.

It is another object to provide such a device which comprises a self-contained unit for converting a commercial form of coaster brake, such as that illustrated in the patent to Hood Number 2,410,785, into a two-speed drive.

his a further object to provide such a device comprising a planetary type of reduction gearing in which the driving forces are applied in the form of balanced couples, and the transmission elements are maintained in alignment by bearings located close to the points of application of the forces.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description'taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partially broken away and in section showing a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is a detail in perspective of the sun gear and its shifting means, partially broken away and in section.

In Fig. 1 of the drawing there is illustrated an axle l adapted to be maintained in the fork of a bicycle frame not illustrated, and fixed therein by means of clamp nuts 2 and 3. An adjustable bearing member 4 is threaded on the axle and is provided with serrations or dentals adapted to engage similar dentals on an anchor member 5. An anchor arm 6 is non-rotatably mounted on the anchor member and carries at its free end a clip I for attachment to the bicycle frame so as to immobilize the anchor member and the bearing member 4.

A transmission member 8, journalled on the axle I, is provided with a plurality of studs 9 on which planetary pinions II are rotatably mounted. The transmission member 8, which 42 on the brake anchor 43.

ber 4 by means of bearings I8. The driving member has internal teeth I9 meshing with the planet pinions I I and forming an orbit gear therefor.

A sungearZI (Fig. '3), is slidably journalled on the axle I and meshes with the planet pinions II. The bearing member 4 and the planet carrier 8 are provided with internal teeth'22 and 23 respectively which are arranged to receive the teeth of the sun gearZI and form a positive torque-transmitting connection therebetween when the sun gear is moved longitudinally along the axle l into engagement therewith.

The axle I has a cross slot 24 through that portion on which the sun gear is journalled, and has an axial bore 25 extending from the adjacent end of the axle to said slot. Means for shifting the sun gear axially are provided comprising a shift block 26 slidably received in the slot 24 and having a swivel connection with the sun gear 2|.

As best shown in Fig. 3, the block 26 is preferably formed in two parts 28, 29, mounted on the end of a plunger 21 which traverses the bore 25 in axle I. The part 28 seats against a shoulder on the plunger, and the part 29 is threaded on the end of the plunger, which thus clamps the two parts of the block together so as to loosely embrace the sun gear 2 I.

The plunger 21 is normally held in its outwardly shifted position as shown in Fig. 1 by means of a spring 3| bearing against an internal shoulder 32 in the axle I and an enlargement 33 of the plunger. A shift lever 34 is pivotally mounted on a bearing 35 in a cap member 36 threaded on the end of the axle, one end of the lever being formed as indicated at 31 for attachment of a suitable actuating cable, whi1e the other end 38 engages the outer end of the shift plunger 21.

The bicycle hub 39 is arranged to be mounted at one end on the planet carrier 8 by means of bearings 4|, and at its other end by means of bearings It is adapted to be rotated by a threaded clutch nut 44 mounted on the screw shaft portion I4 of the planet carrier 8. Since the remaining structure illustrated is the same as that shown and described in applicants prior patent above cited, further descrip tion thereof is deemed unnecessary.

In operation, starting with the parts in the positions illustrated in Fig. 1, rotation of the driving member I5 in a clockwise direction as viewed from the left will cause the planet carrier 8 to be rotated in the same direction at reduced speed due to the fact that the sun gear 2| is held stationary by its engagement with the anchored bearing member 4. Its rotation causes the threads 14 of the planet carrier to move the nut 44 into'clutching engagement with the hub 39 so as to rotate the hub at reduced speed as compared with the rotation of the driving member I5.

When the operator wishes to shift to high gear, he manipulates. the levert l soras to shift plunger 21 to theiright, thereby moving thersun gear out of engagement with the bearing memher '5 and into engagement with the teeth 23 in the planet carrier 8. The drive member i5, planets ll, sun gear 2!, and planet carrier 8, are thus locked together to rotate in unison,and

the hub 39 is accordingly rotated, henceforth" at the same rotational speed as the driving member IS.

The operation of the brakestructure in coasting and braking is the same as set forth in the cited patent.

Although but oneembodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail, it will be understood that other embodiments are possible and changes may be made in themecise'form and arrangementof the parts'without departing fromth spirit of the invention.

I claim: 7

1. In a twojspeed gear drive for bicycles, a stationary axle, a bearing member threaded thereon, an anchor member having a positive torqueetransmitting connection with the bearing member, an anchor arm non-rotatably mount.- ed on the anchor member having means for attachment to the frame of the bicycle for immobilizing the anchor member, a nut threaded on the axle adjacent the anchonmember serving o mitting engagement with the sun gear;

meansforshifting the sun gear axially for alternative engagement with the fixed bearing memto secure the anchor arm on the anchor member and to clamp the anchor member against the bearing member, a planet carrier and clutch member journaled on the axle having a plurality of bearing studs, planet pinions journaled on said studs, a driving member rotatably mounted on the planet carrier having an orbit gear meshing with the planet pinions, asun gear slidably journaled on the axle, meshing with the planet pinions; said bearing member and said planet carrier being formed for positive torque transand REFERENCES CITED .The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country 1 Date 15,298 Great Britain July 5, 1906 745,104

France Feb. '7, I933 

